Maggie's Farm

It’s not for me to argue Catholic teachings, but my friend The Anchoress Elizabeth Scalia’s reply to Anne Rice's problem with whether Christians are living her political liberalism probably comes as close as to the Catholicism I learned being raised a Jew in a Catholic and Jewish neighborhood. Rice, like many or most of various religions, confuses politics with faith or, worse, substitutes politics for faith.

There’s a universal message, whether from scripture or Pope, that works: Open your heart and G-d will walk in. Close your mind and G-d’s presence is clouded, at least until your heart is set free.

Struggle with that as you wish or need to find meaning and salvation. Struggle is important in building strengths and to advance.  That allows the confidence and trust that ultimately works, to accept the faith in man and in our actions being truer to G-d’s missions for us.

There’s a practical measure each can easily know, if not denied: Are you living life’s struggles with contentment instead of anguish or anger.

There are varying interpretations of whom Jacob wrestles, the result of which is his renaming as Israel. There’s agreement, however, that wrestling spirits with spirit is transforming.

A poem I just dashed off (revised in keeping with the form):

I

Am Nothing

Struggle Makes Us

Strong Enough To Accept

The Guiding Light To Make

Something Better Of I

G-d’s Better I

Is All

Us

Rembrandt's depiction of Jacob's wrestling is one of engagement, not separation.